HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-12-18 Public Comment - J. Eisel - South Side LoftsFrom:Tom Rogers
To:Agenda
Subject:FW: South Side Lofts
Date:Friday, October 12, 2018 8:31:48 AM
From: Justin Eisel <jeisel@umn.edu>
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2018 4:37 PM
To: Tom Rogers <TRogers@BOZEMAN.NET>; Martin Matsen <MMatsen@BOZEMAN.NET>
Subject: South Side Lofts
Hello, Mr. Matsen and Mr. Rogers,
Thank goodness for word on the street. How crazy that I live around the corner and a half block down from the new South Side Lofts
proposal, yet I didn’t receive specific notification of anything. Please do consider expanding the process by which persons affected,
neighbors and the city as a whole are made aware of significant changes and proposals to the city. Additionally, it appears that to even
learn about or offer an opinion/input is more burdensome for the citizens than the groups who are much more familiar with the process
and have staff who do those dealing all the time.
In the small amount of time I have had to look into the South Side Lofts, I have found at least a few things concerning, especially, and
beginning with, the parking. What will the requirements be for the new structure? What will be done to make up for the lost Blackmore
parking spots? I certainly hope the decision-makers for the city can start to see the negative long-term effects the lack of consideration for
parking in this area is, and will continue, creating. This has been magnified by the lack of foresight with the Black Olive. Is it any
surprise the Blackmore owner (the person selling the South Side Lofts property and removing parking spaces) publicly supported the
Black Olive developer? We shouldn’t allow a small number of people to manipulate the adjacent areas and Bozeman as a whole. My
understanding also is that one or both of these parties (Blackmore and South Side Lofts) will benefit from outdated rules related to the
amount of parking supplied. Not only is there no role for something like that in this day and age, the ability to “buy” parking credits is not
realistic to the average citizen. Interestingly, Chris Naumann is the Executive Director of the Parking Commission. He, of course, was
one of the biggest advocates for the Black Olive at the expense of the citizens. Talk about conflict of interest and collusion.
I have no idea what sort of power you wield over developments like the the South Side Lofts, but I know you have more clout that the
rest of us. I think there is a clear theme in my letter, and it seems to be the new culture of Bozeman. We are opting to let the builders, the
developers and the people with money determine what Bozeman becomes, and this at the expense of the average citizen who lives here.
We are making Bozeman what the people who aren’t even here yet want, but not realizing what we have is what makes this place great.
Don’t take away parking from the South Side Residents, the people who live and shop downtown, the Music on Main attendees, the
families who go to the Bogert Farmers Market, and anyone else who visits Downtown. Please, take the power from the few and give it
mack to the many.
Thanks for taking comments.
Sincerely,
Justin Eisel
220 S. Bozeman Avenue